The Pain Point
Teachers are constantly battling with diverse learning needs in the classroom. No student is alike, and this is further compounded when you include rising numbers of autism and ADHD diagnoses, as well as students who are FASD, severe behaviour, more than one grade above and below expectations, and those who are not diagnosed, but we know something is not quite right.
In the age of differentiated learning, teachers find themselves crafting packages so that all students can learn their curriculum at their own individual level. The challenge is daunting and the average teacher is leaving the profession within 5 years (UBC News, 2015).
In the age of differentiated learning, teachers find themselves crafting packages so that all students can learn their curriculum at their own individual level. The challenge is daunting and the average teacher is leaving the profession within 5 years (UBC News, 2015).
Solution
I Read You is an etextbook solution for the diverse classroom.
We take your curriculum and create leveled passages so that all students in the classroom are working with the same materials. Each passage can be changed so that the text is now at the grade level of the reader.
The etextbook is updated when needed. Other than weight, the problem with print textbooks is that curriculum is updated; information changes. Our etextbook downloads any changes - there is no download of static information. We provide dynamic materials.
We also provide current events. For example, if you are studying human body systems - let's say the digestive system, and in the news it is declared that there is now a cure for colitis, we will include links to new and updated current information. In this case, the student sees the pop-up that we embed and accesses the link. He or she reads the new information in a pop-up text bubble.
Every student learns differently. We consider this with I Read You by presenting our text in a variety of multimodal mediums. Auditory learners will benefit from the "read text" button, which will read the text with follow-along prompts, as the text highlights the words as they are being read by the app. Visual learners will benefit from the embedded visuals and videos. When selecting "movement mode,” those students who need to move will discover that the app will only read to them if they are moving. Studies have shown that movement can provide a "means for practicing the acquisition of new information and formation of memories, and when performed with this information, allows cognitive information to be linked with movement. As a part of the memory, movement then can be used to help recall that memory (Hruska & Clancy, 2008, p. 13) "Music mode" plays a music soundtrack that matches the mood of the current page being read. Research has shown that there is a link between music and academic and behavioural improvements (Blasi & Foley, 2006).
Our etextbook service will be available in English, French, and Spanish, with plans to include other languages as needed.
I Read You is available on Android, iOS, and Windows phone. It is also available online for use with a computer; however, not all features such as movement mode will be available due to logical constraints. I Read You also has Google Classroom integration, so that teachers can link relevant pages seamlessly to specific classes, lessons, and assignments.
We take your curriculum and create leveled passages so that all students in the classroom are working with the same materials. Each passage can be changed so that the text is now at the grade level of the reader.
The etextbook is updated when needed. Other than weight, the problem with print textbooks is that curriculum is updated; information changes. Our etextbook downloads any changes - there is no download of static information. We provide dynamic materials.
We also provide current events. For example, if you are studying human body systems - let's say the digestive system, and in the news it is declared that there is now a cure for colitis, we will include links to new and updated current information. In this case, the student sees the pop-up that we embed and accesses the link. He or she reads the new information in a pop-up text bubble.
Every student learns differently. We consider this with I Read You by presenting our text in a variety of multimodal mediums. Auditory learners will benefit from the "read text" button, which will read the text with follow-along prompts, as the text highlights the words as they are being read by the app. Visual learners will benefit from the embedded visuals and videos. When selecting "movement mode,” those students who need to move will discover that the app will only read to them if they are moving. Studies have shown that movement can provide a "means for practicing the acquisition of new information and formation of memories, and when performed with this information, allows cognitive information to be linked with movement. As a part of the memory, movement then can be used to help recall that memory (Hruska & Clancy, 2008, p. 13) "Music mode" plays a music soundtrack that matches the mood of the current page being read. Research has shown that there is a link between music and academic and behavioural improvements (Blasi & Foley, 2006).
Our etextbook service will be available in English, French, and Spanish, with plans to include other languages as needed.
I Read You is available on Android, iOS, and Windows phone. It is also available online for use with a computer; however, not all features such as movement mode will be available due to logical constraints. I Read You also has Google Classroom integration, so that teachers can link relevant pages seamlessly to specific classes, lessons, and assignments.